Episode summary
Julian Dorey speaks with forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan alongside contributor Baron about a fatal shooting at a public event involving a victim repeatedly referred to as “Charlie”. The episode centres on whether the incident was handled as a standard homicide scene and what physical evidence would normally be secured.
Morgan explains how clothing would typically be examined for ballistic or explosive indicators, describing gross examination, grid-based tape lifts, and subsequent chemical/spectrometric work. He says that if there were any serious question of an explosive mechanism, the shirt should be examined by specialist federal resources such as the ATF.
The conversation turns to eyewitness audio and direction-of-sound disputes. Baron recounts witnesses who described a “pop” like a balloon and a post-incident video in which people point towards a ground-level area and say the shot came from “down there”. Morgan says such immediate statements matter but warns that buildings, elevation and even crowd density can affect sound perception.
A major thread is Morgan’s criticism of alleged evidence handling: the hosts claim a necklace and microphone associated with the victim were not collected, and Morgan argues such items could have evidential value and should not be retained privately. He also stresses that the chair and platform used at the scene could be critical for trajectory reconstruction and should be preserved. Morgan further questions reports of civilians moving items and handling cameras shortly after the shooting, and discusses whether the vehicle used to transport the victim should be treated as potential evidence pending documentation and interviews.
